'I've travelled to nine countries in three months and I wouldn't have survived without these'
I'm currently one of those people you hate. You've seen them, those lucky Aussies whose Instagram stories are filled with insufferable photos from their 'hot girl summer' in Europe.
I lost my job earlier this year and instead of panicking about my next career move, I packed up and decided to go to Europe. It's now been almost three months and I've made it to nine countries, lugging everything I own along the way. There's some things I regret packing and should have sent home. But there's a bunch of things that I couldn't live without, so here are my travel essentials.
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Power bank
These are my best friend. I was a hoarder of these when I used to travel a lot more for work. When we were packing up my house in Sydney, we found six. They're great for a day trip or if your phone is prone to running out of battery power really quickly – or if you're like my husband who never charges his phone at night when he's not using it and ends up leaving the house already on 22 per cent. Get your hands on Amazon's best-selling power bank here for $39.99.
HydroFlask
I've had a couple of reusable water bottles in my time (I've either lost them or had to give them away when I moved to another country), and I have to say my latest 946mL HydroFlask has stolen my heart.
It has been particularly handy on those steamy days in Italy where I've almost been losing water faster through sweat than I've been able to rehydrate. It doesn't mind a little bit of rough and tumble, and it keeps cold water cool for hours, so that refreshing hit of liquid gold is so sweet in 38-degree heat. I also try to keep plastic-bottle usage down, sometimes it's unavoidable because you can't drink the tap water. But you can try and limit plastic use as much as possible with the HydroFlask.
Face masks
We've been caught out a couple of times without an N95 (FFP2 in Europe) mask. It's still compulsory in some areas/countries to wear a face mask, particularly on public transport. My husband and I were struck down pretty hard by COVID for the first time this year, so we're still wearing them on flights even though they're not required on some airlines anymore. You can get a 20-pack of N95 masks here for $17.80.
Popsocket
I am very prone to dropping my phone. So often in fact that my family and friends marvel at my ability to do so (other than my ability to lose sunglasses constantly). Something that has reduced the frequency of me dropping my phone (and into the rhone) while taking photos has been a popsocket. It's basically a handle that sticks onto the back of your phone, and Amazon has a tonne for you to choose from.
Extra moisturiser
Note the word "extra". I wish at the start of my journey I had bought more than one bottle with me because as many skin junkies will tell you, not all moisturisers are created equal. I'm always on the hunt for the perfect moisturiser and that one right now is the Dr Jart Cicapair Calming Gel Cream. It's been really hard to find in some of the countries I've been staying, so if you have the room, pack more of your favourite moisturiser.
Adidas Ultraboosts
I didn't believe the hype at first. There's no way they could feel like you were walking on clouds or feel like you were wearing nothing at all. But they do. These are the comfiest shoes I've ever owned and I can attest to a good pair of comfortable shoes are worth every penny you invest because my husband bought the wrong pair of shoes for this holiday and his feet still aren't the same even after two months.
Portable suitcase scale
Luggage limits are my enemy. And this handheld scale is the perfect gadget to help me avoid getting hit with that extra cost at the airport check-in counter. It's saved me the anxiety of holding my breath as I wait for those digits to stop on that magic number, particularly since I've been flying a lot of budget airlines. Pick one up for just $19.66 here.
Spigen phone case
As I mentioned above, I'm a serial phone dropper. So I need a heavy-duty case to protect my phone. I've had one from Spigen competitor OtterBox before, but I found it a bit bulky. Now I have a Spigen case made out of polyurethane, which is much more compact, and my phone is still intact. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. You can get your own here for $24.99.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Ex
Again another product I'd heard a lot about. But I didn't try it until a friend brought me a pot back from her holiday. She swears by it and now so do I. Since using it I've not had to apply a lip balm three million times a day. I use it mostly as a lip sleeping mask every night as part of my skincare routine. I wake up with soft lips and my life is better for it. For $27, you can also join the cult following.
Bumbag/fanny pack
Whatever you prefer to call it, it's been my ride-or-die. No jokes. I've been wearing one for a couple of years (I think? What is time now anyway?) and I like the freedom it gives my hands to hold other things. And the chances of me losing said bag are very low as it's attached to my body! Also harder to steal things from me while I'm travelling. 10/10, highly recommend. Here's some you can buy on Amazon.
Noise-cancelling headphones
Pretty obvious why this is a necessity. Crying babies on planes, loud Airbnb neighbours while you're trying to sleep and that mouthy group of people who won't shut up on the train. I have the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones. They block out noise fabulously, the cushions are soft and pillowy (I'm actually able to sleep on my side quite comfortably) and the sound quality is crisp. Worth every penny in my opinion, these are my third pair of Sony headphones.
Universal travel adapter
As we become even more and more technologically reliant, I recommend buying a few that can be used in every country if you plan on travelling for a long period of time. You can pick one up on Amazon for under $35. I have four adapters and they're always in use before we go to bed at night to charge my phone, laptop, headphones or power bank.
Want more recommendations? Trevor Long reveals his very best noise cancelling headphones worth trying.